Best Ways to Learn About Wine? Vanessa Conlin MW & Amanda McCrossin Part 2

Introduction Are trends like orange wine and natural wine here to stay? What are the benefits of joining a wine club? How do you get out of a wine rut? Have consumer wine choices changed during the pandemic? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Amanda McCrossin & Vanessa Conlin of the Wine Access Unfiltered Podcast for part 2 of our two-part conversation. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Watch the Video     Giveaway You can win one of two signed copies of my books, “Red, White, and Drunk All Over” […]

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Which Hot New Wine Regions & Styles Should You Try? Amanda McCrossin & Vanessa Conlin MW Part 1

Introduction Have you ever dreamed of ditching your day job and starting a career in wine? What do wine and music have in common? What’s it like to share a bottle of wine with the famous wine critic Robert Parker? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Amanda McCrossin & Vanessa Conlin of the Wine Access Unfiltered Podcast for part 1 of our two-part conversation. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Watch the Video     Giveaway You can win one of two signed copies of my books, “Red, White, and Drunk All Over” […]

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Dream Wine Careers with Susie Barrie & Peter Richards Part 2

Introduction Why are podcasts one of the best ways to learn about wine? How do English sparkling wines compare to Champagne, and should you seek them out? Why is the Master of Wine qualification valuable beyond the studies? What’s behind the low pass rate for the Master of Wine qualification? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Susie Barrie and Peter Richards, Masters of Wine for part two of our two-part conversation. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Watch the Video   Giveaway You could win a prize pack that includes a personally signed copy […]

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Having a Wine Blast with Susie Barrie & Peter Richards

Introduction Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a career in wine, whether as a TV or radio personality, writer, author, podcaster, event organizer, speaker or consultant? Well, our guests tonight have done it all and you’re in for a treat with colourful stories from their brilliant careers! In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Susie Barrie and Peter Richards, Masters of Wine for part one of our two-part conversation. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Watch the Video   Giveaway You could win a prize pack that […]

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Open That Bottle Night with Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher

Introduction Do you have a bottle of wine that you’ve been holding onto for a special occasion? Are you curious about how much an old bottle you’ve been keeping in your cellar is worth and whether you should open it soon? Would you like to take a peek behind-the-scenes at how two of the world’s most successful wine columnists taste wines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, journalists, authors and wine columnists. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Watch the Video     Giveaway You could […]

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Rising Alcohol in Wine: Too Hot to Handle?

Introduction Want to seduce someone this Valentine’s Day? Forget the lingerie, lipstick and silk-tie handcuffs—just ensure that the object of your desire drinks a little wine. Over a few glasses of wine, love is blind, or at least it’s wearing rosé-coloured glasses.  Perhaps that’s why it’s one of the greatest social lubricants—wine has certainly done more to keep marriages together than beer. Wine embodies physical pleasure: With pheromones, its aromas are a heady mix and its velvet caress on the tongue both soothes and excites. What other drink is described as “voluptuous” and “curvaceous”? In this episode of the Unreserved […]

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Icewine versus Dessert Wine: What’s the Difference? Video

On CTV News yesterday, Leanne and I chat about Icewines and dessert wines. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, these wine make terrific pairings with chocolate and other treats. Have you got a fave? Let me know in the comments please! How is Icewine different from other dessert wines? It’s a matter of cold versus rot. With Icewine, the water in the grapes freezes more quickly than the sugar and separates out, concentrating the sweetness and fresh fruit flavours of the dehydrated grapes. The grapes for Icewine are picked and pressed at -8 oC or colder. That’s why grapes […]

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Drunken Adjectives: A Fuzzy Vine-acular

Introduction Are there really that many different descriptors for inebriation? What’s the origin of drunken euphemisms like “three sheets to the wind”? Why does our language go from getting hammered at college dorm parties to more mature sentiments like “feeling no pain”? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m sharing the interesting and surprisingly vast vocabulary that describes the things we do, say and feel when we’ve had a little too much. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights What descriptors for overindulgence might have you thinking of food instead? How does our drunken […]

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Holiday Movie Wines + Cool Chardonnay with Brian Schmidt

Introduction What exactly is a cool climate Chardonnay? Which dishes are delicious with this style of Chardonnay? What’s the most important element for you to discover when tasting wine? Why did Chardonnay become so popular, then fall out of favour? What is the Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Brian Schmidt, Vice President and Winemaker at Vineland Estates Winery. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights What are the hallmarks you would find in cool climate wine-producing regions? Why is “cool climate” being redefined? Which traditional cool […]

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Master of Wine vs Master Sommelier? Jane Masters Reveals the Difference

Introduction What’s the difference between a Master of Wine (MW) and a Master Sommelier (MS)? How can you take advantage of your surroundings to become a better wine taster? Is there a benefit to focusing on tasting notes instead of scores? What is involved in each of the stages of the MW exam? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Jane Masters MW, Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine and independent consultant for the Opimian Society, Canada’s largest wine buying club. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights How did […]

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